All Forum Posts by: James B Gaither

Hey, congratulations on the deal! I see you had to make some improvements to the property after buying. Im a new investor and making improvements/ renovations is my biggest concern. How were you able to determine how much money would be required to fix the place up and at what point of the buying process did you figure those numbers out?

Hello @Dale Jiang I am also looking to get into real estate investing here in New Jersey and more specifically house hacking. I am in a similar position as you because I am not ready to buy now, however that has not stopped me from contacting lenders and learning about the whole process. I do have my real estate license so I set myself up with auto-emails for potential properties so that I can practice analyzing deals and sharpen my skills in doing so (Not saying you should get your license though, I agree with others above me that suggest to contact an agent in your area. Try using the network tab on this website to find someone in your area!) My talks with lenders were very helpful because I learned about DTI (Debt to Income Ratio) and that mine as of now is WAY too high. I am glad I learned this now instead of right before I was ready to buy, then it would have been a huge set back. However, because I am talking with experts now, I can fix my finances and put myself in a better position to buy when I am ready (which unfortunately may not be for another year or two).

I apologize for the long post but I thought it might be helpful to hear from someone who is also trying to enter into the real estate investing world and is trying to learn as much as possible. Start learning, networking, and analyzing deals now so that when you are ready to buy, you are actually ready to buy. Hope this helped at least a little and good luck on your real estate journey!

Hello, I am also a new investor and I am looking to house hack in the North Jersey area. I work as a preschool teacher in Montclair so I would like to stay somewhere close enough to commute. Like Jonathan Greene said, I am also looking in the west orange and belleville areas. After reading a few forums discussing North Jersey, I realize Im gonna have to be willing to commute from a little farther out. However I may not be ready to invest just yet so Im now trying to learn how to analyze deals so when the time comes I'll be ready.

Hello my name is James Gaither and I have been interested in getting into real estate investing for some time now. I got my real estate license around a year ago however I have not used it much as I am a full time preschool teacher. I would like some advice on how I can use my license to better help myself and others investing in real estate. I am saving to make my first investment around this time next year but in the meantime I would like to network with investors to help and gain some hands-on experience. I am looking to work and invest in the north Jersey market.